The thrum of Yuna's rapidly beating heart filled her own ears. Pferderostbraten Om nom nom. Strong arms pressed her into a magenta field, and Yuna balked at first. A voice cut through the tangled minds, and the sweet sound of SkyWishes vows of protection tore Yuna from that horrible inner dwelling place. It was the Insanity. All Cultists succumbed to it, lost themselves in it, were twisted by it and then... died, their soul bled off over the course of time to make room for It.
"Sky- SkyWishes!" the befuddled princess buried her face against the young pony and allowed her warmth to chase the chill from her blood. "I want to go home." The whisper carried the soft weight of Yuna's sorrow. "I want Drova. I want to see John." Did they miss her at all? Were they enjoying the summer? "It's so green at home. You'd love it. The farmers are probably harvesting for the Burrows. And the sheep! Oh SkyWishes, they change color. Their wool does when they're emotional."
Aegis began to shout. Yuna folded her ears down to blot out whatever horrible thing he was saying... or casting or summoning. She couldn't. The more she ran from things, the more the daemon controlled her. Her ears rose against her will, and SkyWishes' soft fur stroked her cheek as Rache's splinter twisted her head to the side in order to hear better.
Sundae? What was the name familiar? Yuna's brain ached from memory disparity. Was this a name Rache knew? Was it someone she met? No, she had met her. The Chancellor had...
The powder! The warehouse! Sundae wanted to know more about Golden Cornucopia. She was so eager to have proof that the unicorns had worked evil magic on him. She was there, and that was probably when the theft took place.
Yuna nuzzled SkyWishes's shoulder as she pulled away. "I know you don't believe her to be a bad pony." Some thing were unforgivable, though. Yuna stomped the ground. "She needs to be brought to justice. But we have got to warn the other tribes. We have to stop this!"
Her eyes pinched tightly closed and she focused her thoughts on the real daemon rather than his annoying splinter. If he had gone to the storm, there were probably a bunch of ponies all gathered around. He could speak to them all. He could warn them. But that wouldn't solve the immediate problem.
"Chancellor! Help us help you! Where would that food have gone? Is there a delivery point? Would it have reached the unicorns yet?"
Boar
The Force and paper birds, when combined, could take the fight out of any boar. However, the lady waving the shovel in front of the animal's face pissed it off once more. This boar was a boar, which is a simple way of saying nature had blessed him with pokey private parts instead of the other kind. He wasn't at all pleased to find his sows threatened. The animal squealed in challenge and charged to chase Dora away.
Meanwhile, the godling was determinedly proving to the world what Marcus already believed in his heart... Giovenith wasn't a dainty china doll. She wasn't driving the boar; she was tenderizing its ass while using her paper minions to terrify the other target. He somehow doubted he'd need to offer any bite at all, and a small part of him wondered if the birds would focus on him after the pit was filled. The knowledge didn't prevent him from snapping a branch off a tree in order to give her the occasional break. She had a right to be mad at him. She had a right to never speak to him again. But, right now, they all had a goal to accomplish as a team.
"HA!" The boar turned to leave the path and received a swat from Marcus' branch. He was about to strike it again when the bird-pecked boar trumpeted and charged. The sow went with it, momentarily leaving both priest and godling without anything to smack around.
The third boar... another sow... had waddled through the brush in search of more food. It discovered a small clearing that had seen the touch of many hands. A solitary, dark creature with strange bird wings stood poised, though his back was to her. She quietly stretched her neck out to grab one of Drova's feathers.
"Oink?" Undoubtedly he should takes like tubers or berries.
Pavilion
"Up and at 'em, Ancient," the redheaded woman waved over a few men in strange woolen uniforms while the rat on Hectaros shoulder translated. "Someone grab a field kit. We don't leave a man behind. We'll doctor him when we get there."
The men surrounded Hectaros' chair and, after reassuring him that he would be safe, they hefted him (chair and all) into the air. Never underestimate the strength and determination of a Lad.
Finally, at last, we neared a scene transition.
The Clearing
Residents filed up the beach, some at a leisurely pace and others taking it at a gallop. They were joined by Lads and Men, though the Cultists tended to bunch together, and a few priests such as Adrastus. It was a good, long walk that seemed to go on forever, though not uncomfortably so. Eventually, the Residents in the lead would spot the "clearing".
It was obviously the clearing because someone had taken the time to roll logs onto the sand and start a nice fire. There weren't any tents or tarps or pavilions. The sky, now overcast, pinched off the brightest light and allowed the sands to cool. Upon those sands were woven grass mats.
In the distance, approaching from the opposite direction, the natives could be seen. Only a few, of course. The rest were, like some Residents, taking their leisurely time. However, upon spotting the first Residents to arrive, the indigenous people warily moved from the beach and took to the safety of the jungle.
True to Minerva's word, the cardboard Residents were given a little waterproofing in the form of wearable bubbles that could be slipped into should it start to rain. These wouldn't last forever, however.
